Mário Jardel
Mário Jardel de Almeida Ribeiro (born 18 September 1973 in Fortaleza) is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays for Ferroviário in the Brazilian Série B. Despite not possessing extreme technical ability, Jardel was most noted for his positioning on the field and 'being at the right place at the right time'. With this exceptional positioning ability, Jardel was able to become one of Europe's most prolific strikers during his time at FC Porto, Galatasaray, and Sporting CP. Club career Brazil Jardel played for Vasco da Gama, but moved in 1995 to Grêmio Porto Alegre, where he won the Libertadores Cup. FC Porto In 1996, he was linked to several teams, and after failing to transfer to S.L. Benfica and Rangers (due to the strict British rules involving non-EU players) he signed with Portuguese side FC Porto, where with help from players such as Zlatko Zahovic, Sérgio Conceição and Ljubinko Drulović he was the top goalscorer in Europe for 3 years (1998-99, 1999-00, 2001-02), with a goal average of slightly over 1 goal per match (130 goals in 125 games, avg: 1.04). Although he was top scorer 3 times, due to the use of coefficients based on each European league's standards, he only won twice, the 1998-99 and 2001-02 European Golden Boots. He lost out to Kevin Phillips in 1999-00 despite Phillips having scored 6 goals less than Jardel. Galatasaray Jardel's future seemed bright enough. Before the 2000-2001 season he was traded to the Turkish club Galatasaray, winners of UEFA Cup in 2000, for exactly $16m. Scoring five goals in his debut match suggested he would adapt well to his new club, but towards the end of the season injuries and growing personal problems hinted he was soon going to leave Turkey again. Regardless, he was part of the Galatasaray team that won the UEFA Super Cup, himself scoring twice to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the Super Cup final, and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with Jardel scoring six goals in the competition in victories against teams such as AC Milan and Real Madrid. Also, he was a favorite of Galatasaray fans, who called him "Super Mario" Jardel. He ended the season with 22 goals. Sporting In 2001-02 he tried to return to Portugal. The first team interested in his contract was Benfica, and was a major key in Manuel Vilarinho's campaign, but talks failed. He then returned to Porto, but his transfer was refused by coach Octávio Machado. Sporting appeared last and signed him. The 2001-02 season proved hugely successful to Jardel - he scored 42 goals in 30 games, and Sporting won both the Primeira Liga and the Portuguese Cup. He also won the Prize "Player of the Year" by the Portuguese newspaper ''Record'' - one of the only two foreign players to achieve this, the other being Lisandro López. Decline While the 2001-02 season was arguably the best of Jardel's career, the following 2002-03 season proved to be the beginning of the end. Left off the Brazilian national team again, this time for the 2002 World Cup (despite his tremendous goal-scoring abilities he was rarely called up), and unfit at the start of the season, he spent the most of it on the injury list. In the Christmas break he returned to his native Fortaleza, where he injured his knee in a swimming pool fall. He scored only nine goals that season. He was granted, alongside Deco, Portuguese citizenship on February 2003 He was released by Sporting before the start of the 2003-2004 season. He moved to English side Bolton Wanderers, but failed to score a league goal for the club. He did however score three goals in the English League Cup, where Bolton were eventually losing finalists. These goals came in games against Walsall, where Jardel scored twice, and against Liverpool at Anfield. During the winter break, he moved to Italian side Ancona, but could not convince the staff of his physical capabilities. By the end of the season, he quit European football, and tried to return to Palmeiras, but failed to pass physical examinations. In July 2004 Jardel signed a contract with Rosario side Newell's Old Boys, after rumours about a possible return to Portugal, to play in the newly promoted Penafiel, where his former team mate Ljubinko Drulović played and António Oliveira (his first Porto manager) assumed the chairman position. In August 2005 Jardel returned to Turkey in order to sign a contract with Ankaragücü. The signing could not be completed however, because Jardel arrived late in Ankara and Ankaragücü found another player for his position in the meantime. As of January 2006 Jardel was playing for Brazilian first-division side Goiás Esporte Clube. Jardel was signed by Beira Mar for the 2006-07 season. Despite arriving at the club overweight, he worked hard and trained specifically to lose weight and gain physical form and scored one goal on his debut for Beira-Mar in a 2-2 draw with Desportivo das Aves. In the winter transfer season Jardel signed for the Greek Cypriot team Anorthosis Famagusta. On 14 July 2007, Jardel played for Scottish Premier League club St. Mirren, as a trialist in a 3-0 win over first division side Stirling Albion. Newcastle Jets On 14 August 2007, Australian A-League side Newcastle United Jets officially announced at a press conference in Newcastle that they had signed Jardel on a one year contract as their marquee player. Jardel was rumoured to join the club for weeks before the official announcement was made. He arrived in Australia on 12 August 2007 and traveled to Newcastle on 13 August 2007. Jardel worked hard on his fitness before arriving in Newcastle. He was unable to play for the Jets in the first three rounds as he was in Australia on a tourist visa. He eventually had his sport visa approved before the start of Round 4. He made his debut as a substitute in the 70th minute at EnergyAustralia Stadium against Adelaide United in Round 4. Newcastle won the match 1-0 with a strike from Mark Bridge in the 81st minute. After joining the Jets Jardel saw little game time, usually making an appearance as a late substitute. Owner of Newcastle Jets Con Constantine who brought Mario to Newcastle expressed his desire for Jardel to stay on the field for longer. Newcastle coach, Gary van Egmond however was reluctant to give the Brazilian a larger role. On 3 November 2007 Jardel played nearly 20 minutes against Sydney FC. He showed some positive signs, nearly equalising for Newcastle with a trademark header from a Joel Griffiths corner kick. Sydney keeper Clint Bolton saved the initial header before Jardel's follow-up was cleared off the line. However, after showing glimpses of class, manager van Egmond perceived Jardel to be surplus to requirements and was told he could leave the club half-way through the season. He was reportedly being paid $3,000 a week by club owner Con Constantine. He left the club on 24 January 2008 to be with his sick mother in Brazil. The Jets went on to win the 2008 A-League Grand Final without him, becoming the first club to win an A-League title without a marquee player. Criciúma On 29 June 2008, Jardel joined Campeonato Brasileiro Série B Criciúma. He scored 4 goals in the Brazilian Serie B season 2008. Unfortunately for Jardel his club were relegated from Serie B; finishing 18th with 41 points from 38 games. Ferroviário The former FC Porto and Galatasaray striker has joined to Ferroviário on 4 February 2009. On 11 March 2009, Jardel made his Ferroviário debut with a very classy goal. Honours ;Club *Rio de Janeiro State League: 1992, 1993, 1994 *Rio Grande do Sul State League: 1995, 1996 *Libertadores Cup: 1995 *Recopa Sudamericana: 1996 *Portuguese Supercup: 1996, 1998, 1999 *Portuguese League: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002 *Portuguese Cup: 1998, 2000, 2002 *UEFA Supercup: 2000 *Argentinian League: 2004 *Goiás State League: 2006 *Cypriot Cup: 2007 ;Individual * Portuguese Liga Top Goalscorer: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 * European Golden Boot: 1999, 2002 * Champions League Top Goalscorer: 2000, 2001 * Portuguese Footballer of the Year: 1997, 1999, 2002 References External links * Yahoo! Sport profile Category:Living people Category:Brazilian footballers Category:Brazilian expatriate footballers Category:Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama players Category:Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense players Category:F.C. Porto players Category:Galatasaray S.K. footballers Category:Sporting Clube de Portugal footballers Category:A.C. Ancona players Category:Bolton Wanderers F.C. players Category:Newell's Old Boys footballers Category:La Liga footballers Category:Deportivo Alavés footballers Category:Anorthosis Famagusta players Category:Criciúma Esporte Clube players Category:Premier League players Category:Brazil international footballers Category:Newcastle United Jets players Category:A-League players Category:Brazilian expatriates in Turkey Category:Expatriate footballers in Turkey Category:Expatriate footballers in Argentina Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate footballers in Cyprus Category:Portuguese Liga footballers Category:People from Fortaleza Category:Turkish Super League footballers Category:1973 births